MORE THAN I AM WORTH ---?

NOVEMBER 7, 2004

I JUST GOT A LOOK AT THE BILL FOR MY ANGIOPLASTY HOSPITAL STAY -- $35,088.00 - NOT COUNTING THE SURGEON'S FEE.
OVER 30 YEARS AGO, MY UNCLE, BILL GAFFNEY, WAS DRIVING A CAB IN LOWER MANHATTAN, WHEN HE HAD CHEST PAINS. HE IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL.
MY DAD HAD DIED OF A HEART ATTACK A FEW YEARS EARLIER AND BILL WAS NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES. UNCLE BILL DROVE UP ON THE SIDEWALK AT THE EMERGENCY ENTRANCE AND PASSED OUT.
WHEN MY MOTHER AND I WENT TO SEE HIM, BILL TOLD US THE I.C.U. WAS COSTING $260 A DAY - I TOLD HIM THAT, AT THAT PRICE, I WOULD HAVE JUST PULLED TO THE CURB AND PREPARED MYSELF TO DEPART THIS EARTHLY SPHERE.
UNCLE BILL SAID, ONCE THAT PAIN STARTS IN YOUR ARM, THERE IS NO PRICE YOU WOULD NOT PAY TO STOP IT. THE SINCERITY OF HIS TONE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS VERY POWERFUL MAN WAS TOTALLY SERIOUS AND THE PAIN MUST HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS, IF THIS ARMY VETERAN SPOKE OF IT WITH SUCH RESPECT.
NOW, I AM OLDER THAN MY UNCLE WAS AT THE TIME OF THAT INCIDENT -- I DID NOT HAVE ANY PAIN - I DO NOT HAVE A HEART PROBLEM -- MY ISSUE IS THIS, WHILE I WOULD PAY A LOT MORE TO PRESERVE THE LIFE OF OTHERS -- I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM TRYING TO SEE MY OWN LIFE AS WORTH $80,000- THE TOTAL OF THIS STAY, PLUS MY APRIL BLOOD CLOT STAY.
I DON'T SAY THIS TO MOTIVATE MESSAGES BOTH PRO AND CON ABOUT MY LIFE VERSUS THE EXPENSE. THIS IS NOT A POPULARITY POLL.
I MEAN THAT, MY SEEING THAT BILL, MUST BE SOMETHING LIKE A CRIMINAL SEEING A WANTED POSTER AT THE POST OFFICE -- A VALUE HAS BEEN PUT ON YOUR LIFE AND IN A WAY THAT YOU COULD NEVER THINK OF YOURSELF.
I THINK OF MY LIFE AS WASTED COMPARED TO THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANY OF THE FOLKS I KNOW, BOTH PERSONALLY AND THRU REPUTATION. PEOPLE MAY THINK GOOD THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU, BUT IS THAT ENOUGH?
WHILE I SUSPECT MANY PEOPLE WOULD THINK MY LIFE IS WORTH THE EXPENSE, MYQUESTION IS NOT EXTERNAL -- I ASSUME FOLKS MIGHT SAY YES, BECAUSE I WOULD SAY YES ABOUT THEM ( THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WOULD GIVE YOU $80,000 OR EVEN $80 - BUT I WOULD THINK YOU ARE WORTH THAT AND MORE ). WOULD I HAND THE HOSPITAL $80,000 IN TRADE FOR MY LIFE - YES, IT WOULD BE SILLY NOT TO SAVE THE ONLY LIFE I HAVE - AND I HAVE HAD A GREAT LIFE - BUT OTHERS HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF THE GREATNESS, NOT MYSELF, NOT MY CONTRIBUTION.
IF MY LIFE WERE ON SALE IN A SHOWROOM, WOULD I PAY $80,000 FOR ME -- NOT FOR THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET - NOT FOR THE MUSIC - NOT FOR THE GOOD TIMES - NOT FOR THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS -- BUT $80,000 FOR MYSELF -- I WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND GET BACK TO THEM LATER.
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THE NERVOUS TAXI DRIVER
A passenger in a taxi leaned over to ask the driver a question and tappedhim on the shoulder.The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, drove up over the curb, and stopped just inches from a large plate glass window.
For a few moments everything was silent in the cab. Then the still shaking driver said, "I'm sorry, but you scared the daylights out of me."
The frightened passenger apologized to the driver and said he didn't realize a mere tap on the shoulder could frighten him so much.
The driver replied, "No, no, I'm sorry, it's all my fault.
Today is my first day driving a cab..... for the last 25 years
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I'VE BEEN DRIVING A HEARSE."